[anom3]

So I should have asked this BEFORE actually making the order, but its already on its way, but regardless:

I currently have:

CIC Low Level Output (coded to HIFI) -> MS-8 -> Amplifiers

Works well, but I get an annoying HISS whenever I crank the MS-8 volume up.

I have tried all sorts of things, running the CIC as "standard" sound system (thus getting full level outputs) directly into the MS-8.

Have also tried running full level outputs from the CIC to the MS-8 via a high to low converter.

No matter what I try, I get the annoying hiss.

Tried replacing the RCAs going from the front to the back with a HIGH ($$$) quality set. Same thing.

My grounds are all high quality. Properly grounded, etc etc etc.

My equipment is of a fairly high quality... The AMP is the HD900/5. I run 3 channels directly off the MS-8 (2 x rear, and the center channel)...

So anyways, whatever I do... I get a hiss.

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Lets just leave the "how to get rid of the hiss" alone... I have tried and spent many hours... It just wont go...

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So I decided to order the M1000-M-DA3.

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Questions :

1) I have a combox in the back of the car. It has MOST input/output. I was hoping on wiring the DA2/3 to this MOST. I also ordered the 3 way MOST cable. A simplified explanation is a cable that creates 1 MOST INPUT (From front of car MOST network) -> 2 MOST OUTPUTS (1 going to combox, 1 going to the Mobridge DA2/DA3). This is the correct way of doing things?

2) Since my vehicle currently DOES NOT have the MOST based L7 amplifier (never has), will getting the CIC to start spitting audio out via the MOST network rather then High Level (Standard) or Low Level (HIFI) as simple as coding my car for the "Logic7" option? I'm VERY experienced in coding. Have customized pretty much every module in my car, upgraded via WinKFP / ISTA, etc etc etc. So getting the CIC to "think" there is a L7 amplifier on the MOST will not be an issue (there are actually only about 20-30 settings across 3 or so modules affected by the TOP_HIFI order option).

Answers:

Having pretty much completed the install, I'll post the answers to my questions:

1) Yes, but it really doesn't matter where or how you connect the DA3 to the MOST bus, as long as it follows the flow of light correctly. The input port gets the optical in, the output port continues the flow to the rest of the bus. This can be done using a "splitter" (1 input, 2 outputs daisy chained), or just by using another MOST plug and linking them together (sort of like : |M| but imagine the M is a square missing the bottom line).

2) Yes, all it takes is changing 1 setting in the CIC to have the CIC start shooting audio out the MOST bus. AUDIO_SYSTEM_CIC = top_hifi.

[taibanl]

Most is a serial loop. Just insert the da2 in the loop to/from combox.

Yes. Code for 677/688 depending on your MY

[anom3]

Perfect.

The DA3 (they ended up sending me the DA3 cause the DA2 was not available, same price) and the MOST cable splitter will both be here in about a week.

Will post my progress and some pics when I get it installed.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by taibanl

Most is a serial loop. Just insert the da2 in the loop to/from combox.

Yes. Code for 677/688 depending on your MY

[6spdcoupe]

'Hiss' is typically a sign of a high nosie floor or in simpler terms- gains are too high. MS-8 is also not the greatest reference source. Swap that out and properly set gains and I am fairly certain your issues will go away. Really no need to go the DA route, especially if you are still planning on keeping the MS-8.

[mathematics]

Originally Posted by 6spdcoupe

'Hiss' is typically a sign of a high nosie floor or in simpler terms- gains are too high. MS-8 is also not the greatest reference source. Swap that out and properly set gains and I am fairly certain your issues will go away. Really no need to go the DA route, especially if you are still planning on keeping the MS-8.

[birdcatcher]

Originally Posted by anom3

Perfect.

The DA3 (they ended up sending me the DA3 cause the DA2 was not available, same price) and the MOST cable splitter will both be here in about a week.

Will post my progress and some pics when I get it installed.

Thanks.

Where did you order the DA3 from and how much did it cost you?

[anom3]

Sorry about the late reply, I frequent m3post and came back here today to post regarding my progress.

Here are some answers to the above questions:

A) Cost was roughly 600EUR, prucahsed from autoradio-center.de.

B) As I'll mention in my next post... Same settings, no recalibration no changes in gains and the hiss is gone.

[anom3]

So I thought I would post my progress.

The DA3 is in, it works. To get the audio going through it all that it really took was switching 1 paramater in the CIC module (AUDIO_SYSTEM_CIC = top_hifi from what I recall). I will probably still switch the other parameters just to make it a full TOP HIFI system as far as the car is concerned.

Very much a work in progress still, but:

A) The hiss is gone. I can put the MS-8 to "dB 0". Level out my Treble settings to 0. No hiss. Before I was using a shity work around by basically dropping the treble on the MS-8 to like minus 75% and bumping it up on the HU to +75% and it would sort of be ok. I know i know, this is NOT the way to run what has now cost me close to 2.5K USD sound system. But I had to deal with this hiss first before I could tune it 100% to my liking.

B) The sound quality has improved by leaps and bounds. There were a number of songs that would distort certain tones. A few of Enyas hits for example. This is gone 100% now.

C) The mobridge DA3 is very light manual wise. The place where I purchased it was receptive to my questions. One gotcha right off the bat was the fact that the first thing I wanted to do was set it up on my PC via the USB connection. No go. Has to be connected to the MOST bus to get a wake up signal. Another gotcha was to switch the type of MOST the mobridge is expecting you have to use the firmware update app rathern then the DSP app, even though there is a dropdown for "MOST Type" in the DSP app. It just wouldnt save it after sending it to the DA3.

D) Am having some trouble linking it to my MOST bus. With the splitter in place, neither the combox or DA3 work. This is 99% due to the "splitter" that I bought... Looked great on ebay, but it was not. Not sure if this is "required" but for example, the ends of the optical leads did NOT have the copper tubes like the OEM bmw ones have. Also it did not come with the outer casing for the plugs, so I had to jimmy them a little. I ordered this a few days ago:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/201363658950...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Will post how it goes with this installed. Plugging my COMBOX MOST cable directly into the mobridge (thus disabling my combox) works fine, this is how I am currently testing it until I finish the install when the new splitter comes in.

Overall I can say even though quite pricy, well worth it. I can now start to see what this is all supposed to sound like. I was quite disapointed with how much I spent on the MS-8 / HD600/5 / JL Audio 12" and the quality of sound I was able to put out. I think I have knocked out the weakest link in the whole setup, which I believe was, the DAC in the BMW CIC head unit.

Don't judge the install, this is just the test bed, gonna leave the car parked for the next few days until the new splitter comes in and I can finish up the install

Post any questions you may have and I'll be happy to answer.

[taibanl]

Most is a loop. You should be able to just go out from combox into da3 (or vice versa) and good to go.

[anom3]

Yep.

Just completed the hardware install now.

The MOST parts included with the DA3 were enough, no splitter needed. Although it would have made the install a bit cleaner. I will probably re-do it once the cable arrives.

Combox + DA3 works as advertised.

Here is an intresting thing though... When I unplug the DA3 from the MOST bus while the CIC is powered on, it changes the settings in the CIC back to HIFI.

I have not added $677 to my VO yet, maybe thats why... But I had it happen twice... Was a bit confused why it wouldnt play as nothing changed.

Will add $677 to my VO and post my results.

So far so good

Originally Posted by taibanl

Most is a loop. You should be able to just go out from combox into da3 (or vice versa) and good to go.

[anom3]

Update :

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The reverting back of the TOP_HIFI settings had nothing to do with the DA3 it self.

Its a persistant E1CF error code my CIC gives off.

Not sure what the exact cause is, but what this error code means is that the settings are being "returned" back to a backup the CIC has stored.

This ONLY happens when I have a USB in the arm rest slot.

So the solution was to basically do a few starts (eg: drive around doing some chores) with the USB out.

After doing this, the backup is replaced with the TOP_HIFI saved settings and even if it reverts back, it's to the one with the updated settings.

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My PDC sounds and Gong were a bit loud... But setting them to the lowest setting in the CIC lowers them enough so that they are fine. Still a little loud for my liking, but not a show stopper.

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I am currently getting a POP-POP-POP when turning the vehicle off. This is most likely caused by the fact that I am still using my old remote wire power on rather then the one the DA3 provides. I will switch this over today and report back weather this solves the shutdown pop-pop-pop.

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PDC sounds appear to be "overlayed" by default. And there doesn't appear to be a way to turn this off. I currently have just 2 channels connected to my MS-8 and both my front and rear pdc sounds come out of all speakers. This is fine by me, I dont need to hear the rears out the rear, etc. Makes the install a little cleaner as I will only use 2 channels from the DA3. Less wires, less clutter.

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Yes I should have just gotten the DA2. But they sent me the DA3 instead as they were sold out of the DA2. For the same price

[birdcatcher]

I understand that you are using the MS8 for the processing however the USP of the DA3 is it's in-built 8 channel processor + time delay built in.

Have you tried experimenting with it's UI yet? I understand that MS8 has the much sought after "auto tuning" feature, however you might be able to get better quality by eliminating it (and replicating the EQ settings in the DA3 itself)!

I feel that if you can use the pre-outs of the DA3 with a good quality amp and speaker combo, you might be able to have a much reliable, pure sounding system.

Obviously the above statement is made assuming the DA3 does what they claim it's capable of doing !

[anom3]

The only reason I don't scrap the MS8 now is because of the center channel.

The DA3 doesn't seam to have a center channel option, at least its not listed in the GUI. Perhaps there is a way to do this via the additional settings for each of the channels. But much of it is quite beyond me.

Also for what its worth, I am powering 3 channels using the MS-8. I power my center and rear left and rear right off the MS-8. HD600/5 powers the FL FR, Front under seat sub L and R and the 12".

Originally Posted by birdcatcher

I understand that you are using the MS8 for the processing however the USP of the DA3 is it's in-built 8 channel processor + time delay built in.

Have you tried experimenting with it's UI yet? I understand that MS8 has the much sought after "auto tuning" feature, however you might be able to get better quality by eliminating it (and replicating the EQ settings in the DA3 itself)!

I feel that if you can use the pre-outs of the DA3 with a good quality amp and speaker combo, you might be able to have a much reliable, pure sounding system.

Obviously the above statement is made assuming the DA3 does what they claim it's capable of doing !

[anom3]

Update :

I am now running the remote turn on off the DA3. All the popping is gone. Including the single "thump" I used to have previously.

I'm not 100% done configuring things yet, but this has solved multiple issues for me, in no particular order:

1) Hiss is all gone. Period.

2) Since the hiss is gone, I can now basically leave my MS-8 volume untouched (pretty much at max, am running it at -2 right now with no distortion or hissing). Previously what I would do is have my MS-8 at -15 to avoid the hiss. Then when I wanted to really put some serious volume out I would crank it up (the MS-8 volume), only to have to lower it again when I wanted silence to avoid the hissing. This is no longer needed. MS-8 volume stays untouched. The goal is to get the MS-8 configured as I like, and not to have to touch the remote for it. This is now within reach. ( BTW : Having to fumble with the MS-8 remote while I drove was SUPER annoying. I also thought the idea of having to "think" about 2 volume controls as a huge negative for a sound system which cost me as much as it did... )

3) My rear PDC sounds now work. They didn't before. I could have ran additional RCA's to my MS-8 but frankly didn't want to until I sorted the hiss out.

4) Used to get a "thump" when disarming my alarm (eg: amplifier got the remote signal to turn on). Now that I am running the remote off the DA3, this does not happen any more.

5) I am not forced to play with my equalizer settings just to minimize the hissing. Making a world of difference to be able to have my treble up higher.

A slightly expensive way to resolve the above issues, but the sound system has come alive. I am very happy with the results. This is what I expected when I made my first (big) round of sound system related purchases.

Aside from some major clean up the install is pretty much done. Just gotta wait for the proper MOST cable to come in so I can make the DA3 install nice and clean (impatience got the best of me, its all kind of slammed together with my combox). And I'll need to remove the RCA thats still running (although disconnected) from the HU to the rear of the car. Same with the remote wire.

[anom3]

After using this unit for over a week now, I am very satisfied.

The sound system sounds quite a bit better now. It's ironed out quite a few kinks.

Only 2 issues kind of remain:

A) When I turn on the sound system in "key out" mode. As in, ignition off, key out of ignition, press CIC knob, I get no sound. I am unsure if this has to do with where I plugged in the DA3 to the MOST bus (right after my combox) or where I am tapping KL30 (once again, from the combox). Will investigate further.

B) The PDC sounds are not 100%. First off, even when set to the lowest volume, but if the CIC is at max volume, the PDC sounds are quite loud. Very loud. Not a huge deal but basically means turn the music down before parking or get blasted by the PDC sounds. Also another issue, there is a bit of distortion when the PDC sounds start. Hard to explain, but its not 100%.

Overall, quite happy, and I would recommend the DA3 for anyone wanting to up their game as far as their sound system goes.

Its also go optical out... So I know of reget getting the MS8 now... Would have been nicer to pair it with a DSP that has optical in... Plus most on here know by now the MS8 kinda sucks

[anom3]

I just found a nice new setting that I thought I would share:

When using firmware 1.7.0 on the DA3 you get an option to set a profile for L7 on and L7 off.

So basically it works like this:

L7 (in CIC menu) Off -> Profile 1
L7 (in CIC menu) On -> Profile 2

This is quite neat as you can link one of the 1-8 buttons under the CIC to L7 on / off.

With this, I set my profile 2 to have a 3db boost on all channels. So it gives it a bit more volume